Don't be a creep. Er, a feature creep, that is.

Back in my product management days, I used to introduce myself to new developers as “the feature creep.” It was partly to get a laugh. But it was partly to let the developers know I was going to push for what I felt was best for customers. The problem was when others emulated the push, without understanding my rationale behind it. I wish I’d had Jason Putorti’s GigaOM column then. Jason offers a great look at how to develop applications – whether desktop, mobile or web-based – that actually meet the needs of your customers and your business. 6 simple tests designed to help you determine whether or not your efforts will pay off in the end. In fact, don’t limit this to just application development. Marketing programs, promotions, hiring, and other aspects of your business also can benefit from asking these same types of questions. Well worth the read. God knows I wish I could have given it to my fellow product managers. And the development teams.